Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to trigger logic conditions and, more particularly, to systems and methods for specifying and translating trigger logic conditions.
2. Description of the Background
In user programmable systems that are used in modem transportation systems, a user predetermines conditions under which certain actions are to be performed when the vehicle is in motion or preparing for motion. For example, a user may specify that an alarm is to be sounded if both the speed of the vehicle exceeds 100 mph and the brake temperature exceeds 150xc2x0 C. Once the condition is specified, it may be translated to a high level computer language, which in turn is translated to a machine language for execution by an on-board computer of the transportation system. These conditions are commonly referred to as trigger logic conditions because the satisfaction of the conditions triggers the action to be performed. Such user programmable systems are popular, especially in the aviation industry, because often the person who has the relevant aviation industry knowledge to specify the appropriate conditions does not have sufficient programming experience to directly write a computer program to implement the condition.
In the past, different methods have been utilized to allow the user to specify trigger logic conditions that are automatically translated to computer program or computer-interpretable tables. One example is a semi-formal language of xe2x80x9cif . . . thenxe2x80x9d statements. For example, a user may specify the above-described condition with a statement such as:
IF (SPEED greater than 100 AND TEMP greater than 150) THEN ALARM.
Another known method includes using a flow chart, such as the flow chart illustrated in FIG. 1, to specify the above-described condition. A third known method includes using a logic diagram, such as the logic diagram illustrated in FIG. 2, to specify the condition. These methods, however, are based on programming techniques or electrical models, and often are not representative models of the physical phenomena that the user is attempting to define.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a system and method for users to define simple trigger logic conditions which are more representative of the physical phenomena that the user is attempting to define. There further exists a need for such a system and method which permit the specification of complex conditions comprised of, for example, simple conditions.
The present invention is directed to a system for specifying a multi-parameter condition. According to one embodiment, the system includes an interface device, and a simple condition editor module in communication with the interface device for permitting definition of a condition region relative to a multi-dimensional coordinate system via the interface device using a set of attribute commands, and for recognizing the condition associated with the condition region based on the attribute commands used to define the condition region. The system may also include a translation module for translating the recognized multi-parameter condition into a computer-executable form.
According to another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system for specifying a trigger logic condition, including an interface device, and a complex condition editor module in communication with the interface device for permitting definition of the trigger logic condition on the interface device as an arrangement of a plurality of tiles defining a logical relationship for the tiles according to a predefined notation, wherein at least one tile represents one of a condition and an action to be performed, and for recognizing the trigger logic condition associated with the arrangement based on the predefined notation. The system may also include a translation module for translating the recognized trigger logic condition into a computer-executable form.
According to another embodiment, the present invention is directed to a system for specifying a trigger logic condition, including an interface device, a simple condition editor module in communication with the interface device for permitting definition of a condition region relative to a multi-dimensional coordinate system via the interface device using a set of attribute commands, and for recognizing a multi-parameter condition associated with the condition region based on the attribute commands used to define the condition region, and a complex condition editor module in communication with the interface device for permitting definition of the trigger logic condition on the interface device as an arrangement of a plurality of tiles defining a logical relationship for the tiles according to a predefined notation, wherein at least one tile represents one of a multi-parameter condition recognized by the simple condition editor module and an action to be performed, and for recognizing the trigger logic condition associated with the arrangement based on the predefined notation. The system may also include a translation module for translating the recognized trigger logic condition into a computer-executable form.